Foldable wheel dolly



Feb. 23, 954 D. A. WHITESELL 2,670,092

FOLDABLE WHEEL DOLLY Filed Dec. 14, 1951 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR- Ds/wmfi 14. .M/rsseu,

5 I 96 94 zgm flzwm MQa/ za wz ATTORNEYS Patented F eb. 23, 1954 UNITED- STATES OFFICE:

2370;092 TOLD-ABLE WHEEL- noLLY Denha-m- A. whiteseu-staunton,"va. H Afiplieationiieceinber 14, 1951, Serial No. 261,729 -2 Claimsh (em-mew This invention relates *to dollies; for nlfcwin vehicle wheel and tire assemblies-and more particularly to a spring suspende'd dolly'which can receive the shocks inoident'to moving-wheel and tire assemblies onto and oil" or the dolly without damage to the dolly.

It is among the objects of the invent-iOn'to-provide an improved tire-moving'dolly and track assembly'including a foldable track'and'means for releasably locking the-dollyat'one-end of the track forfoldingthe latter;'which-includes a two-part track; the two parts of-which are foldable together with the dollyincludedthrebetween; which includes -a spring suspended dolly' so that tires can bemoved ontoand off of "th'edolly "without danger *of smashing 'or breaking the dolly; which provided guards -enclosing thedollyrol-lers' sothat tir'es on the dolly do not interfere with the' operation'of the rollers; which includes a tiltabletiolly whi'chcan be inclined to receive tire and-Wheel "assemblies from or mount tireand' 'wheelas'semblieson' an inclined vehicle axle'ywhicliurill simultaneously receive both tire and wheel assemblies are dual wheel arrangementfand' which is -simpIe and durable in -'construction, economical o"-manufacture, easy to use, and eiTectiveandffie-ient f Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross=sectieiialyieW I on an enlarged scale on the line 55 of Figure2;

Figure 6 is a top-plan: view of: the track andidolly with the traok in foldedcondition;

Figure: 7 is :a transverse moss-sectional view on the line 7'I ofFi'gure' df Figure 8 is a longitudinal moss-sectionalview on'the line'8-8 of Figurefi Figure "9 is. :a transversefiicrossesectiorial view on'the line 99-to'fi Figure 6;'

Figure 110'. islancend emvatmnerymvx otefthe track and dolly assemblywithith 'eitrack lrffolded condition, lookingxat:.thexrightehand endear-the assemblyasillustrated in Figure 6 Figure all is ca; sider:elevationalwiriew sof fzthe dolly;v

Figure lz is aperspective'viewof axdolly suspension spring; and

"catedat 1 0; of elongatedrectangular shape, in-

cluding two'parts pivotally connected together in end to-end relationshipfor movement relativeto each-otherabout an axis extending transversely of the track intermediate the length thereof.

The track-part I I comprises side members 12 and [3' disposedin spaced apart and substantially par-allel rel'ationship to each other and end members 14- and 15-conneoted at their ends -to the side membersil2 and 13 at the correspondmg ends ofthe latter and disposed substantially perpendicularly thereto.

The side members [2 and Hand the end member are of right-angular, cross-sectional shape having flat flanges disposed at the bottom side of the track andadapt'ed to rest on a supporting surfaceysuch-asa garage'or shop floor and havinglegs upstanding perpendicularly from the flanges, and the endmember I5 is a fiat bar dispose'dsubstantially in the plane of the flanges of the'side membe'rs I2 and I3 and having triangular projections? and I1 disposed one near each 'end thereof and extending in a direction away from the adjacent ends of the side members l2'and l'3; respectively.

The-track part'IB comprises spaced apart and substantially parallel side members [9 and 20 and an end member?! extending between and connected :at its ends to the side members I9 and 20 -at oneend of the frame part IS. The side membersJtEl-and izll and the end member 2| are also-of right-angular, cross-sectional shape, each part including a'flange portion disposed at the bottom ofthe -tra'ck'and adapted to rest on a flower other horizontal support and a leg upstanding-substantially perpendicularly from the flange portion'. At their ends remote from the crossiim'ember'iz I the f'fianges of the side members-"l9 and '20arebeveled, as illustratedin Figure ='1,:to liealohg the" outersides of the triangul'ar' extensions l6 and ll, respectively, and hinge"platesflz-fand fiiiare connected to the'side memberstil 9: .and. 2 ll, respectively, at the outer SidBSiOfiih'iilpStaIIdlrrg; legs of these side members and at the ends thereofiremoteifromthe icross'.memb'er:2 l 1 v Hinge "plates 24'' and. i2 5 *are :secured :to' the sideimemberszlkand l3:of:thei.track part at I the outeri-rsidessof the' legszof:thezsideimembers and at the ends thereof adjacent the end member l5, and these hinge plates 2 and 25 extend beyond the end member I5 and are offset outwardly of the corresponding side members 12 and [3 to overlie the hinge plates 22 and 23 on the side members It? and 2B.

A pivot bolt 26 extends through registering apertures in the hinge plates 22 and 24, and a complementary pivot bolt 21 extends through registering apertures in the hinge plates 23 and 25, these bolts serving as hinge pins pivotally connecting the track part it to the track part II for folding movement of the two track parts relative to each other about an axis extending transversely of the track.

The ends or the upstanding legs of the side members and 2? arepreierably extended upwardly in semicircular form, as indicated at 28 and 29, and apertured to receive the bolts 26 and 21 to reinforce the pivotal connection between the two frame parts. The beveled ends of the flange portions of the side members it and 20, together with the outer sides of the triangular extensions i6 and ll, provide break lines extending diagonally of the side member flanges at the 4 location of the pivotal connection between the two parts of the frame, so that dolly wheels may roll over these break lines without encountering any substantial unevenness in the flange portions of the track.

A u shaped handle Ell-l is comiected at its ends to the end member 2i near the opposite ends of the latter and extends outwardl from this end member to provide convenient means for manually raising and lowering the outer end of the track part it. Apertured lugs 3i and 32 also project outwardly from the end member all one near each end thereof, and a latch rod 3 3 is journaled in these lugs and provided at its ends with book formations 3 3 and 35 which engage in apertures and ill provided in the upstanding leg of the end member is when the two parts of the track are folded together to releasably latch the two parts of the track in folded condition, as is particularly illustrated in Figure 9.

A torsion spring 38 surrounds the latch rod 33 adjacent the lug 38 and is connected at one end to this lug and at its other end to the latch bar and acts to resiliently urge the hook formations 34 and 35 inwardly of the apertures or recesses 36 and El when the track parts are folded together and a handle 39 is provided on the latch rod for manually moving the hook formations out of the corresponding recesses.

Rectangular plates it and ll are secured each along one edge thereof to the upstanding leg of the track side member ill at spaced apart locations along this side member, and are inclined outwardly and downwardly from the top edge of the upstanding leg of the side member. Similar plates i-2 and t3 are secured each along one edge to the upstanding leg of the track side member 28 at the upper edge of this leg and at locations 4 a length somewhat less than one-half the length of the track provided with transversely extending ribs 4? and 48 of channel-shaped cross-section extending transversely thereof one near one end and one near the mid-length location thereof and projecting upwardly from the normally upper surface of the plate. The ridges ll and d8 are reinforced by inclined gussets, as indicated at 49 and 5%, extending from the upper edges of the ribs ll and '38 to the upper surface of the plate 46 at locations spaced from the adjacent lower edges of the ribs.

The plate it has flanges 5| and 52 extending perpendicularly one from each longitudinal edge thereof substantially perpendicular to the plate and in a direction away from the ribs l! and 48, so that these flanges depend from the platform portion of the plate when the dolly is in operative, upright position, as illustrated in Figures 4 and 11. These flanges give longitudinal rigidity to the plate, while the ribs ll and 48 provide transverse rigidity, and the edges of the flanges remote from the plate are inclined toward the plate from a location between the rib is and the end of the plate remote from the rib ll to the end of the plate remote from the rib ll, so that the platform of the dolly can be tilted by raising the end of the dolly adjacent the rib 4?.

All axle 53 extends transversely of the dolly platform below the rib 41 and a similar axle 54 extends transversely of the platform below the rib 33. A bowed, flat spring 55 is disposed in the rib ll with its center portion convexly opposed to the under side of the web of the channelshaped rib, and is provided in its end with notches E56 and 57 in which the axle 93 is received near the respectively opposite ends of the axle. The spring is also provided with apertures 58 and 59 disposed near the inner ends of the notches 56 and El, respectively, and elongated longitudinally of the spring. Bolts 50 and GI extend through apertures in the web portion of the rib 4'! one near each end of the rib and through the apertures 58 and 59 in the spring 55 to secure the spring in the rib.

A spring 62, similar to the spring 55 but preferably somewhat wider and stiffer than the spring 55, is disposed in the rib 48 and provided at its ends with notches receiving the axle 54 and near the notches with elongated apertures receiving bolts, as indicated at 63 and fi l which extend through apertures in the web portion of the rib 48 and through the elongated aperture in the spring 62 to secure the spring in the rib.

Rollers El and 63, preferably in the form of sealed roller bearings, are mounted on the axle 53, one at each end of the axle and corresponding rollers 70 and "II are mounted on the axle 5H, one at each end thereof, and are adapted to run on the flange portions of the side members of the track.

Stub axles H and 12 are secured on the plate 46 adjacent the end of the plate remote from the rib formation 4'? and project laterally from the plate one at each side of the latter. Rollers M and T5 are mounted on the stub axles 12 and '13, respectively, and are disposed at the opposite sides of the platform plate 46 of the dolly, these last-mentioned rollers being smaller than the rollers ill, 68, i0 and H, to provide for tilting of the dolly, as mentioned above.

Fenders l7 and 78 of substantially semicylindrical shape are mounted on the platform plate 46 and receive the upper portions of the rollers 61 and 68, respectively, to guard the portions of tasties r ls a tei iteia eed ate eehgr Plate t co t act yv th; irres s31 pp cpjted on'the pla mlliafif'endef's 79*- afid 80 are mounte 93. of the on the platform plateiand cover the upper the :7: ,i'tionsbfihe rollerslll anew; whileii'enders 8 T82.ioflsubstantiallyhthe:same shapethutz the A Qtha'n; the above;descrilo edfro'llers,famimnunted of the ,theplatformplateantlzreceiye the of the 'ofithe mllerslsl.andJ, resne t v yi z h n .With the awe-descri ed arran ment. gh I00 it is desired to remove heavy pneumatictires the from a vehicle such as a truck or bus, the end of the associated axle adjacent the tire or tires With this arrangement, when the frame part l8 to be removed is raisedby a jack until the tires has been brought to the upright position illusare lifted a sufficient distance above the floor to t t in Figure 3, th d of th hinge plate 23 permit the endmember l4 of the track to pass engaged by the plunger 21 will have been moved under the tires. The track in unfolded condition away from the plunger, so that the spring 98 will is then slid along the i100! u t l the part I I of move the rod 96 in a direction to project the hook the track is under the tire or tires to be removed, formation 93 of the latch lever 89 through the and the dolly is moved onto this part of the track aperture 86 and into engagement with the detent a d disposed under e t 0 t r The t 85 on the adjacent side flange of the dolly to lock carrying wheels will now be released from the the dolly in the portion ll of the frame. The associated axle, and, if necessary, the correspondframe part I8 is then swung over until it is supering end of the axle slightly lowered to free the imposed on the frame part II, as illustrated in wheels from the axle with the tire supported on 25 Figures 9 and 10, and the hook formations 34 and the y- The dolly will now tilt to a position 35 of the latch rod 33 are engaged in the apertures in which it is substantially parallel to the axle 36 and 31 to latch the two parts of the frame in one end of which has been raised by the jack. folded condition with the dolly 45 included there- With the wheels free of the axle, the dolly is between. moved back from the track portion ll onto the When the dolly is again unfolded for use, the track portion nd the tires may now be rolled latch plate 23 moves the plunger 91 in a direction off of the dolly and down the ramps 49 and 4| or to pull the hook formation 93 of the latch lever 42 and 43 to the floor. 89 outwardly of the aperture '86 and away from When the tires and wheels are replaced on the the detent 85 to release the dolly for movement axle, with the dolly in the part [8 of the track, longitudinally of the frame when the latter is in the tires and wheels are rolled up selected ramp unfolded condition.

plates onto the dolly, and the dolly is then moved The invention may be embodied in other speonto the part H of the track, tilting as necessary, cific forms without departing from the spirit or to align the wheel hubs with the end of the coressential characteristics thereof. The present responding axle, and slide the wheels onto the embodiment is, therefore, to be considered in all axle, the inclination of the dolly particularly respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the facilitating the sliding of the brake drum carried scope of the invention being indicated by the by the wheel or by the inner wheel of a dual appended claims rather than by the foregoing wheel set, over the brake shoes mounted on the description, and all changes which come within axle. 45 the meaning and range of equivalency of the When the dolly is not in use, the track is prefclaims are, therefore, intended to be embraced erably folded into the compact condition illustherein.

trated in Figures 6 to 10, inclusive, for convenient What is claimed is:

storage. In order to accomplish this, the dolly 1, A vehicle tire dolly comprising a track of 45 is positioned on the track part I l and the ham longated rectangular shape including two parts dle 30 is manually raised, bringing t t c P t of substantially equal length pivotally connected l8 fi t0 the upright position illustrated in Figtogether in end-to-end relationship for moveure 3. ment relative to each other about an axis extend- A 111g 0 d te 5 is mounted on the e fl e ing transversely of said track, a dolly having a 52 0f the dolly adjacent the upstanding l of 55 length somewhat less than one-half the length of the side memb r N of the frame, and t psaid track mounted on the latter for movement standing leg of t e s d member 3 is p v from one end to the other end thereof, the two with an aperture 86 adjacent the d t 8 A parts of said track being foldable together with 1 12 37 p j outwardly from the Outer side of said dolly disposed therebetween, and latch means t e upstanding leg of the frame side member I3 0 carried by one of said track parts and engageable at a location p ed from t pe e 86 a d with said dolly as said track parts are folded toeerries an p y extending belt rivet gether to hold said dolly on said one track part A latch lever 89 has at On nd an enlarged f while said track parts are being folded, said latch mation 90 provided with an elongated aperture means being released to free said dolly upon un- 9I receiving the pin 88 and with an aperture 92 folding of said track parts. spaced from the aperture 9|. At its other end 2. A vehicle tire-moving dolly assembly comthe lever 89 is provided with a hook formation prising a track of elongated rectangular shape 93 which projects through the aperture 86 in the and a dolly adapted to run on said track and upstanding leg of the frame side member l3. including a platform of rectangular shape having A guide plate 94 is mounted on the outer side ribs of channel-shaped cross-section extending of the upstanding leg of the frame side member transversely thereof adjacent one end and the 13 between the aperture 86 in the leg and the mid-length location of said platform and flanges hinge plate 25 and provides a bore 95 extending extending one along each longitudinal edge of longitudinally of the upstanding leg of the frame said platform, axles extending transversely of said side member I3. A rod 96 extends through the platform one adjacent the open side of each of said ribs, rollers inounted one on each end of each axle, springs disposed one in each of said ribs and engaging the corresponding axles supporting said platform on said rollers, rollersflsmaller than the above-mentioned rollers mounted on said platform one at each side and at the other end thereof for supporting said platform in a tilted position, and fenders mounted on said platform and respectively receiving the portions of said rollers extending above said platform.

' DENHAM A. WHlTESELL.

References cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Cdrbett Mar. 8, 1921 Brejska Apr. 28, 1925 Noir Sept. 23, 1930 Rosenthal May 30, 1933 Smith Apr. 4, 1950 Sagen Jan. 23, 1951 

